Traveling chain grate



May 22, 1928.

E. NICOLINI TRAVELING CHAIN GRATE Filed Jan. 2, 1926 Patented May 22, 1928.-

UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE.

EUGENE museum, or PARIS,- FRANCE, AssrGNoa'ro socn'zrn DELECTRICITE DE 7 PARIS, or PARIS, FRANCE, A FRENCH JOINT-STOCK COMPANY.

TRAVELI G CHAIN onA'rE.

Application filed January'2, 1926, Serial No. 78,770, and in France April '16, 1925.

This invention relates totraveling chain grates for mechanical stoking. These mechanical chain grates, when provided with air-draft casings, present the inconven-- ience thatthe endless chains are affected by the combustion of coal dust-which accumulates in these casings or air compartments, if for any reason they emptied regularly.v

The invention has for its object to provide a. mechanical chain grate partitioned off into separate air, compartments with a view to suppressing the accumulation of coal dust in the compartments so formed, while however keeping the compartments practically air-tight as is necessaryfor the satisfactory operation of the draft.

Upon the annexed drawing to which reference is made in the following .description and upon which the same letters and characters designate the same elements or parts, a i 1 Figure l'is a partial longitudinal section of a chain gratearranged in conformity with the invention;

Figures 2 and 3 respectively are sections along the lines 22 and3-3 of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a diagram of the complete" chain grate.

The traveling grateis formed, as usual,"

by an endless chain A, of which-the links constitutethe bars of the grate; this chain A travels between two side frames 7 and is driven by any suitable means, not shown in the drawing.

Theimain feature of the improved chain grate is that the baflies C C C iarranged between the upper run a and the lower run a of the chain, so as to form' separate air compartments, are themselves partitioned off into chambers each enclosing packing means ashereinafter described.

The lower or return run a of the chain slides over a metal plate b securedto the side frames f by any convenient means.

This plate rests upon cross members It, to which it is attached by clips t, the cross members tbeing'fastened to the side frames 7 and arranged preferably in the same vertical planes as the transverse bafllcs C C C, which are spaced at suitable intervals apart.

- The baffles, which divide the space between the said runs a, a of the chain into a certain number of air-draft. compartments each comprise transverse are not cleaned or' plurality of partitionsc, of general vertical direction, forming parallel spaces closed at their top ends, these partitions being secured to the respective angle-irons and supported by the channel beams 0 The diately beneath and against the upper run a of the chain A and their partitions 0 ex tenddown towards the lower run a stopping are. arranged immeshort at a height such that in case of breakage of one of the links of the grate-forming chain A, the broken parts still adhering to their pivot pins in the path of the. said run a can pass under the partitions 0 withou catching or hooking on to them.

Each of the parallel spaces or chambers formed between consecutive partitions c in the bafiles encloses a freely rotatable tube T which rests across the lower run a of the chain A. y p

The air-draft for curnbustion enters the compartments 0 O, O bylateral openings d formed in the side frames f.

The-several compartments are separated from one another by the baflleswhich form practically air-tight divisions. Leakages of air from any compartment to the ad acent ones can only be very small and is in practice negligible, for-any air tending to escape from one compartment to another through the restricted and labyrinthine passages-afforded by the tubes T, the partitions 0, the transverse ribs n andthe bosses with which the links or bars of the chain grate are provided, will generate eddies opposing the passage of the air. In practice the obturating function of these eddies is completely effective.

It has already been stated that'the partitions care of such dimensions as to prevent a broken links of the chain A from hooking on to them; the broken parts of such links still fast to the run a of the said chain pass by the tubes T, merely lifting the latter, which then automatically resume their working position by reason of their weight. This result can be obtained still more effectually by subdividing each tube T into a suitable number of elements or rollers 29, t t see Figure 2. 'A spacer bar a fixed at its ends upon the side frames f passes throughthe interior of each tube T, the latto the front of the grate where they are discharged automatically in any. convenient manner.

A certainamount of clearance necessarily exists between the side plates and the lateral edges of the. lower or return run a of the chainA, for the'purpose of allowing thepassage of the ends of the connecting pins in each link of the chain. Air under pressure in the compartments might therefore escape through the interstices sO'presented. and obtain substantially air tight seals between the lateral portions .of the lower run a of the chain A and the side frames 7 there is preferably adopted the following device. which obviates any damage in case of accidental breakage of the bars.

In each air-draft compartment 0 O and along each of the lateral edgesv of the lowerrun a, there is arranged asheet metal flap of suitable width, made in two sections 9, g respectively fixed upon bars h, h pivoted together upon a pin 11. This flap g, has its opposite extremities curved upwards, see Figure 1, andrests normallyby' its own weight upon the bars or linksof the lower run a ofv the chain;

The .bar h lias a cranked extension. JLZ, itself pivoted upon a fixed pin Z, each of the bars 7L with its extension h forming a bent lever pivoted at one end at Z and secured at its other end to the bar h which is pivotally connected to it by the pint.

Thiscover device prevents leakage downwards. along the sides of the draft compartments O 0 0 along the lateral edges of the chain grate A, and in case of breakageof the components of the grate, if the pieces still fast to the pivot pins of the links come to abut upon the part 9 of the flap as at. m, Figure 1, they cause the bent lever 7L 7L2 with which the part g is fast, to turnabout its pivotZ, thereby lifting the connected end of the other bar it; in these conditions,'all

v the movable parts of the device are brought into the position indicated in dotted lines in figure 1 of the drawing.

After the passage of the damaged bars,

these movable parts resume their normal position (shown in full lines) by their own weight. Satisfactory working of the grate is thus assured without any disadvantages.

The improved chain grate may also be provided in the guide plate 6 overjwhich the lower run 0; of the grate A slides, with a number of openings 79 adapted to be closed at will by hinged'shutters. By this arrange- 1. A chain grate, comprising an endless traveling chain including lire-bar elements, baffles dividing the space between the upper and lower runs of said chain into a pluralityof draft compartments, said compartments being adapted to receive separate supplies of air, each of said battles including a plurality of vertical walls delimiting parallel chambers, and rotatable membersenclosed;1n the lower parts of said chambers, said rotatable members resting upon the'inner face of the lower run'of said chain and sealing In order to prevent such leakage" along the lower said chain traveling over the top ends of said battles, the lower ends of each of: said baffles including at least three substantially vertical partitions delimiting parallel chambers, tubular members enclosed'inthe lower parts of said chambers, said tubular members resting upon the lowerzrun of said chain to form an air seal but being adapted to yield by rising in their respective chambers to permit passage of an obstruction and means for positioning said tubular members in. said chambers while allowing them to yieldby rising therein.

3. A chain grate, comprising an endless traveling chain including fire-bar elements formed by links of said'chain, baffles dividing the space between the upper and lower runs of said cham into a plurahty of alr compartments, the upper run of 531d. chain traveling over and in contact with said-baffies, each of said bafiles including a plurality of partitions forming chambers, and 'tubu lar rolling elements enclosed in the chambers afforded-between said partitions, said rolling elements resting l freely upon the lower run of said chain and being adapted to" yield individually for the passage of. an obstruction upon the lower run of Said chain.-

4. A chain grate comprisin anv endless traveling chain lncluding firear elements formed by links of said chain, bafiles di'viding the space between the upper and lower runs of said chain into a plurality of'dr'aft compartments, the upper run of said chain traveling over and in contact with said, baf-" fies, each of said baffles including at-least three partitions extending down towards'the 5. A chain grate comprising an endless traveling chain including fire-bar elements,

a side frames along the lateral. edges of said chain, bafi'les dividing the space between the upper and lower runs of Said chain into a plurality of draft compartments adapted to receive individual supplies of air, said baffles including means extending lengthwise of said baflles for minimizing leakage of air over the lower run of said chain from one to another of said compartments, and other means extending longitudinally of said chain for minimizing leakages of air be tween said side frames and the lateral edges of the lower run of said chain, said last mentioned means consisting of hinged flaps arranged at each side of each of said compartments and pivotally attached to one of said baffles, said flaps extending along the lateral edge of the lower run of'said chain for the entire length of the respective compartment and covering the longitudinal joint between said edge and the adjacent part of said side frame.

6. A chain grate comprising an endless traveling chain including fire-bar elements, side frames along the lateral edges of said chain, ba-{iles dividing the space between the upper and lower runs of said chain into a plurality of draft compartments adapted to receive individual supplies of air, said baflles including means extending along said baflles for minimizing leakages of air from one to another of said compartments, and, other means'extending longitudinally of said chain at the sides of each compartment for minimizing leakages of air between said side frames and the lateral edges of the lower run of said chain, said last mentioned means consisting of pairs of hinged flap sections and bars fixed to the sections of each pair, said bars being pivotally connected together, one of said bars being pivotally attached to one of said bafiies and said flap-sections resting freely by their own weight upon the lower run of said chain but being adapted to yield by upward pivotal movement to allow passage of obstructions on the chain,

said flap-sections thereafter returning to their normal position.

In witness whereof I afiix my signature.

EUGENE NIGOLINI. 

